20030502 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.22

(Disclaimer: The following is a machine-generated transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. It will be reviewed and verified against the original audio soon.)

 The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on May 2, 2003 in Balarāmadeśa. The lecture begins with a reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.22.

In this connection there is the following Suti Mantra Ananda Bhutani Jayante Indeed it is from the All Whistle supreme that all these creatures have come into being. Śrīla Visvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura as further pointed out, when the Lord possesses His power. Śrīla Vishnu Chakravarti Thakur has further pointed out that when thy Lord bestows his own self upon a pure devotee, such a fortunate devotee can actually see the Lord touch him and directly engage in his service. According to the Bhaktisiddhandas Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, one should never consider one’s spiritual masters to be mundane or on an equal level with oneself. One should see the spiritual master being always under the shelter of. Always under the shelter of odyssey of the Supreme Lord.

One should never try to engage the spiritual master in one’s own personal service with the mentality of lording it over the spiritual Master and obtaining through him some material gain. One who is actually advancing his  will become more eager to serve the spiritual master and thus such a discipline experience such a disciple experiences the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Haribo Śrīla Rūpa Goswami has delineated four preliminary requisites for advancing for the sincere disciple. Guru parasayastha sma kṛṣṇa dikshari shikshanam visrambina guru shiva sadhum. Guru parashaya kṛṣṇa dikshari sikshanam rishwam.

One Accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master two Become initiated by the spiritual master and learning how to discharge devotional service from him 3 obeying the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion and four following the footsteps of Vedacharya’s teachers under the direction of his spiritual master Bhakti Lasami Jasinda. One One who has executed these preliminary duties is qualified to relish Rmad Bhāgavatam when one actually hears the sound vibration of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam as it is. Simply by giving oral receptions to the Rmad Bhāgavatam, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme personality of Najam. Sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, delusion and fearfulness.

Bhāgavatam 1.7.7 One should hear Śrīmad Bhāgavatam a bona fide spiritual master who can expertly engage that propensity for loving Kṛṣṇa arises from hearing the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is transcendental sound. Such a transcendental unauthorized engagement is called Bhagavad Dharma. Within the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, there are many thousands of aura fears. Within the International Society of the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, there are many thousands of authorized engagements between. Societies missionary activities. And by hearing that Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and performing such engagements, society members feel relief from Sokha lamentation, Moha illusion and Bhaya fear. According to Shira Vista Bhaki Siddhānta Saraswi Thakur, those who have achieved a more mature understanding. According to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhana Sahitka, those who have achieved a mature understanding of the transcendental sound vibration of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam.

As described in the Hamsa Gītā 13th chapter of this canto, a so called Vaishnava who whimsically neglects the strict control of the body, mind and spirit cannot actually achieve shelter at the lotus feet. Even if such whimsical sense enjoyer makes a show of assuming the dress and danda of Aishtav Sannyas, he  will not attain the desired result. A bona fide Vaishnava should work earnestly to free himself. May King Jeff sincerely beautiful and mental speculation. And with a loving heart. And with a loving heart he should always carry out the orders of his bona fide spiritual master. Always remembering the exalted position of bona fide spiritual master. A disciple which sheltered lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus in the Bhāgavatam 11th Canto 3rd chapter 22nd verse. Sa. Previous verse that said how we should accept a Guru.

And this verse that says once you have accepted a guru, then you should accept him as life and soul and worshipable deity. How many here have accepted Guru? How many are aspiring to accept Guru? So. We learn from the Guru how to render devotional service. So we serve the Guru like Radhill. It doesn’t mean that Guru is Kṛṣṇa. He’s a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. But we respect him. Like in the Dukras, Kṛṣṇa is said to do so here in the Bhāgavatam because he’s very dear to Kṛṣṇa. If you stand at the Guru and serve him, then Hari who is in the heart of everyone is the Paramātmā. He likes to give himself to his pure devotees. You can win over Lord Kṛṣṇa by swimming taboo. One day Lord Chaitanya went to see just happened to meet Śrīvas Thakur.

And Lord Chaitanya asked Śrīvas, Let us start to instruct him. Śrīvas, why are you associating with this Lord each another? This Lord Nithyananda, he acts in a very strange Way he’s Avadud. Sometimes he is running with the children, sometimes he’s jumping in the Ganges. I mean, it’s unpredictable. You are a very prestigious Bravina in this society. What  will people think if you associate with someone who is so unpredictable, so much of an Avadud? Your reputation as a very reputed Brahman  will be hampered. Better you don’t associate with Nithyananda Prabhu. If you are concerned about all these things, Shiva as Thakur was shocked. So why am I hearing these things from you? Lord Situ? Why are you testing me like this? I have full faith in Lord Nithyananda.

Even if I see him come out from some sinful place, I know that he’s been there for some Kṛṣṇa conscious purpose. I don’t have any doubts and I can hear all these things. So then after saying that, Lord Chaitanya smiled and said, yes, I was testing you. And because of your devotion to Lord Nityānanda, you have purchased me. Now I am yours. You can do with me as you like. If you want to put me up for sale in the market. All right. Who wants to buy Lord Chitanya here? You can sell him in the market. I know yours. So because Nityānanda Babu, so dear the Lord and because Shiva’s Thakur sold himself out to Lord Nityānanda then Lord Chaitanya gave himself to Shiva. Thakur, That is a very esoteric, very big secret.

If you give yourself to Kṛṣṇa devotee, Kṛṣṇa gives himself to you. Because Guru is Kṛṣṇa’s representative. So however you deal with Guru, then Lord Kṛṣṇa, he accepts that you deal with a Guru very poorly. And Kṛṣṇa also  will not be pleased with him. If you serve the Guru, the Vaishnavas very nicely and Kṛṣṇa becomes purchased. This is a very amazing thing. And this verse confirms it. Just like Bali Maharan, he gave everything to the Lord. So the Lord reciprocated and gave himself to Bali. It’s really amazing that. The Lord gives himself. When the devotee gives himself toward the Lord, particularly the Guru. You can’t get Kṛṣṇa by force. You can’t kidnap somebody and hold them ransom for Kṛṣṇa to come and give him some. There’s no way you can defeat Kṛṣṇa. He’s Ajita. Aparajita can never be defeated.

However, you can get Kṛṣṇa’s mercy very easily by serving Kṛṣṇa, by serving the Guru. So the disciple learns how to serve people to the Guru. When the Lord sees that how faithful and sincere the disciple is that being satisfied, he offers Himself to the disciple. So Prabhupāda was asked how can we get Christians? How can we find him? And Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying how. He. By carrying out the orders of the Guru. In my previous this way one can take Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes Prabhupāda would also reply that don’t try to look for Kṛṣṇa, don’t try to seek him. Try to do such nice devotional service that Kṛṣṇa  will want to see this devotee. Where is that devotee who is serving me so nicely? Assisting my dear devotee. That’s the. Secret for success. To serve Kṛṣṇa in such a way that he’s so pleased. Easy way.

It’s hard to please Kṛṣṇa. Why Other because if you want to give him something he has already referred to. Prophet said, it’s very hard to give something to a rich man that they appreciate. But if you make friends with their dog or their son, then they become very pleased. That is the secret. Bali Mahārāja he surrendered. Bali is also the king of Kerala. Comes in. Onam Onam festival to see all the projects. So there’s some connection there, right? Any other part of India some the of celebrates Onam. Only the Malayan would any other community celebrate. Now you’re spreading. But seems some connection is there. Bali Mahārāja, he was successful because he gave everything to Kṛṣṇa. So then Kṛṣṇa reciprocated, gave himself to the devotee according to how you approach. So somebody gives everything that Kṛṣṇa has represented.

Then Kṛṣṇa reciprocates and gives himself to their devotee. By Bali he was also following his Guru Sukacharya. Because he faithfully followed his Guru. And because Indra had offended his guru, Indra had committed an offense against his own Guru. Sometimes Indra commits offenses. He sees the Guru every day. Guru is coming. When you don’t see the Guru every day, then when he comes, maybe you are more careful. Gurudev pri vu for that. Sometimes if you see too much then you don’t say Gurudev anymore. So Bali Mahārāja, he was keeping watch. What’s Indra doing? So one day Indra was seated on the throne and everyone’s praising him. Glories to Indra Dev glories to Indra, the great warrior. The king of the three worlds. Indra Dev King. Meanwhile his Guru was. At the guru. But he didn’t Guru actually should stand up or you should pay Pranam.

You should offer some kind of respect. But like guru came in. Yes, tell me something. Then the Guru looked and said Aha. So now it doesn’t matter if I come or go. He’s not offering Any respect? Salah, let me go. So then he disappeared immediately. Indra realized I committed offense. When we see the Guru, we have to offer Pranav. I didn’t offer any Pranam. He told everybody publicly, you see. Oh, what does this position do? What does this false pride do? It makes one commit offenses. And I just committed offense to my Guru. And he said, find him. We must beg him forgiveness. But Brihaspati was so expert he couldn’t be found. So they’re looking everywhere for him. But they couldn’t find him where he went. He could be anywhere in the universe. They couldn’t find. He is also more powerful than Indra.

So then Bali Mahārāja gets a notice. That this Indra. Is maybe getting some of the leelas mixed up. Bali found out this happened two, three times. Indeed offended his guru. Maybe different Indras. But Bali knew this is the time he doesn’t have a guru to guide him. He’s weak now. So they attacked. Indra was defeated. So little mistake cost him everything because he became too proud. The guru has to always remember that he is servant of Kṛṣṇa. Ramaharshana was seated on the Asana to give Bhāgavatam class. And Balaram himself comes. All the sages are sitting like this. And Balaram comes. So Ramaharsha looks Balaram. Anyway, I am speaking of Bhāgavatam. I don’t have to give respect to anybody. There’s some exception of Kṛṣṇa himself comes in when? But the guru won’t get up. I am giving Bhāgavatam. Other sages come in.

They don’t have to get up. But if Kṛṣṇa himself comes, Balaram comes. You have to get up. Balaram said, this guy is too puffed up. He’s not qualified to be the guru for all these people. So he came and he just took one kusa grass and touched his Ramaharshana. Brahma Harshana is dead. Everybody was shocked. Balram just took his life. He said, lord, you took our guru who’s teaching us then how we can learn the science. So then that’s how Sutra Goswami, the son of Ramaharishna, he got installed. Someone may be a guru or a teacher. But then if they are in a very big position that they offend their guru or they offend Kṛṣṇa because of false pride, then they can lose everything. We have to always be very humble in relation to the spiritual master.

Spiritual master is called as Guru Deva, Guru Mahārāja Acharya Deva. Such a type of addresses. Generally we don’t call Guru by name. Just like india, you don’t call your father by name. Say your father is in Gopal. You don’t say Gopal. Even as a child in the West, I always taught the same thing. Never call your mother or father by their name. I would say mother or father or Daddy Maui. So within a civil. In a somehow that Vedic culture still even in the West. But now I see in the west, some younger people, they call their parents by their name. But it’s not. Sometimes you have to say the name of the guru. Say someone asks, who is your guru? He says, even if you refer, you can say the name of your guru.

But then he said, you should say with folded hands. My spiritual master is his divine grace. Oṁ Vishtupad. You say Oṁ Vishtupad. Touch your hand to your forehead. My guru name is Oṁ Vishtapad. So Bhaktivedanta. So Swami Prabhupāda. It is so etiquette how one should act. Śrīla Guru Dev, Śrīla Guru Mahārāja. Like this you address for any sannyāsī, you say Mahārāja. And for any initiated devotee in good standing, you will call him as Prabhu. Sometimes a new devil. You can tell who’s a new person. They say, always come up to some Mahārāja and say Prabhu. They haven’t learned anything. Nobody taught them. You don’t say Prabhu to us sannyāsī. It’s for the non sannyāsī. Some disciple  will come up and to the Guru Dev says Mahārāja. Mahārāja is for all the sannyasis. There are so many sanyasis, hundreds.

But your own spiritual masters, you call as Guru Dev or Guru Mahārāja. If you just say Mahārāja, it’s like, you’re not my guru. You’re just one of the Maharajas. Sometimes even the Siksha Guru or some very respected guru even may not be someone’s Diksha guru. Sometimes the bodies also say, we are Guru Mahārāja, just out of respect. I mostly respect you as a Guru Mahārāja. Unlovable of my guru. That’s very endearing. Mahārāja is respectful, but it’s not. It’s respectful. So there’s like that some etiquette, how we deal with the guru, with the vaiavas. Just like in the west, when people are they’re taught india, eat with your right hand, right? That’s their normal procedure. It’s like from childhood, everybody used with their right hand. Nobody used with the left hand. Usually. Unless they don’t have one right hand.

But say in the west they don’t know all these things. They have to learn everything. Plus they say, why? Why left hand? Why right here? Why not length? What’s the difference? The both is saying five minutes. He had to convince. But sometimes there’s some new devotees in the temple they don’t know. And then maybe a Sunday feast or something. Used to be that some old devotee, little cranky kind, he’d come up and somebody guessed, maybe eating with the left hand, shout at him, why are you eating with the left hand? And the person, like a heart attack, cut him. I don’t know. Left, right. What did I do? I know it. And then they run off, you know, never come back again. Why are these people shouting and scaring me like anything? Why do I stand left nobody. So now we’re training their people.

Don’t shout at the people. Don’t get angry, don’t scare them. You know, you cannot explain. Even like sitting in the temple, people put their foot out to the Devī. Sometime in the west they don’t know. Generally india they know. But in the west they don’t know these things. They say, guru, here we don’t show the feet to the deity. You know, dear guests. Do the bodies, you know, it’s considered the more clean, you know, to use your right hand for knitting and prasadam culture. Sometimes people get frightened if they’re too heavy with them. So we have to be also how to teach somebody how to tell them nicely, patiently, so that they can get their true understanding. The Saipa also has to use the common sense. The disciples also doesn’t apply the mind.

One time the guru, after eating, he said, I want some hari tagi. And so. The person took the haritaki, the tree fell up, one of the three. And he took open and gave the guru the seed. So why give me the seed on the outside? It looks like a date. So then I said, oh, I didn’t know Guru Day. I thought, you know, maybe the seed is like mostly herbs seed. Okay, next time I will give you the outside. The next time the guru said, give me one elachi. So then he took elaishi, threw away the seed and gave that cover. So what are you doing? He told me last time he gave you the COVID and give me the COVID No, but Elishi, you take the seed like Guru Dev is so complicated. Every time something different.

So we have to also learn what is the use of each thing and what is the part how to apply. So there’s many little things like that devotional service. It Seems very simple. But there’s hundreds of little things one has to gradually pick up. No use of getting one patient has to instruct. How  will the disciple know? That’s why in bhakti, the purpose of something is more important. If you know the principle behind it, then you can apply that principle is what is useful part of that hare turkey. The useful part is the fruit part. But in a cardamom, the useful part is to seed. So then according to the useful aspect of different types of herbs, you take that. So this was why we tried to sometime explain the reason behind we put on tilak. Why?

Because we’re dedicating our body as a temple. Each of the tilag mantras we put with a mantra. Vishnu, Isha, Vayanama, Nārāyaṇayanama, Manavayanama, Govindayanama, Vishnu, Siddharayanama, Siddha, Rishikeshayanama, Padmanama, Ramanārāyaṇama, Vasudayanama. So 12 plus 1. So this also protects us. We are normally controlled by the karmas. When we put on tilak, it puts us under KA’s protection. There’s a whole chapter in Padma Purāṇa Gopīnchandana Mahatmya, that if you wear the tilak and how even somebody sees you, they can be freed from sins. How this is very powerful practice because this tila urda pundra is worn in the spiritual world. So when you see that, it reminds you of your original position in the spiritual world. It awakens the soul. I told the devotees and how the very first time that I saw tilak, for me, it was a very frightening, shocking kind of a situation.

I was a young person, went to a public festival in San Francisco, Golden Gate Park. There was a group of devotees chanting. I didn’t know who they were. I saw some people looking like they’re wearing pink bed sheets from my perspective. And they’re ladies and men and they were singing with the cymbals and the drums. So I was nearly attracted. And I started walking over to see what is going on there. As I came close, one lady turned and looked at me. She had already pronounced tilak on her and she looked. All Ayn saw was that T lock. When I saw that all the hairs on my body, they stood on end and I felt like electrical shock up my back. And I became so frightened, so shocked. I just ran as fast as I could the other way.

And about 2km later, the night time, my intelligence is saying, why are you running? What’s happening? Why did that symbol on the forehead makes such an effect on you? Because this was all going beyond my mind and intelligence. It was a completely spontaneous reaction. It’s like an awakening. Then I decided to go back, find out who these people are, why this happened to me. And I went back and those devotees were gone. I was looking and looking for the devotees to get some time to find them again. Oh, those are Hare Kṛṣṇas. Where are they? I don’t know. They come and sing in the park. Nobody could tell me, so I am looking. So Robert said that previous life I was devoting. So maybe that first time I saw the tilak, it was big shock on my counter. I don’t know.

I don’t have the explanation why, but I really appreciate how tilak is a very powerful thing. And as Padma Purāṇa says, it’s very powerful. Just putting the tilak on, seeing that tea lock, it actually is very purifying. The prabhupāda is just. You don’t just put on the tilak without a mantra. It’s not like Adivas is putting on some war paint, you know, tribals or something. There’s a very highly elevated science how to put on these things. We call this the science of living. How to live in a spiritual appliant, technological way. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is applied technology of spiritual practices known as sarana bhakti. So we need to learn this applied technology, the science of living. If you know this science, then you can finish up in one lifetime and go back to godhead.

Some people know the art of living, how to live in this material world and stay here birth after birth. But we know the science of how to live and make it the final life. So this is very important. So part of it, all these little practices, we learn this from the guru and his representative. What is the tlr? How to offer prasadam, how to perform archana to the deities, how to study the shadow shastra, how to understand what the scripture means, how to chant japa. So many things are there to learn. So part of that, how to respect the guru, how to serve the guru. Whenever we see a Mahārāja, first time in the day, we should pay obeisances. He says whenever we see the guru, we should pay obeisances. Otherwise, the Vaishnavas, we all pay once a day. One shakalpa, two rupiahs.

Like that. There is a different standards. So this is called Vaishnava etiquette or Vaishnav yabahar in Sanskrit. So if we learn that it’s possible to develop love for Kṛṣṇa if we don’t know how to deal we don’t know how to act and we commit offenses. The Vaishnav etiquette is what protects us from committing offenses. Guru shouldn’t reject that disciple very easily. Because if he rejects, how does it help the disciple? The disciple  will be lost. The Guru tries to save that disciple sometimes. If a disciple is feeling very big disturbance and infecting other disciples with envious thoughts, that disciple may have to be separated. Now they have S A R S panin concern all over the world. When you arrive here in Bahrain, you have to fill out one declaration.

Whether you have been recently in Hong Kong, Singapore, China, few places like that where this SARS has come out. As they are trying to stop the spread it. If you say if you had been in those places, they were going to keep you locked up for 10 days. It’s pretty heavy. Actually, even you don’t have any symptoms. At least in other places, you have to show that symptoms. India, they also make you fill out a declaration. But you have to show the symptoms and the quarantine. Here. The travel agent told me that if you just come from that country, they will keep you under observation for 10 days. Maybe you will be in the same room as someone who answered in question. So this quarantine system is there.

So also in spiritual life there’s also such a possibility that if a disciple becomes very destructive for other disciples, then he has to quarantine that discipline because that disciple  will spoil the other one. Otherwise, if they’re not that bad, then normally we don’t reject them. We don’t try to separate them. We just try to preach to them and change them. This is the system. Now Shastra said that Guru can’t quarantine a disciple and say, don’t associate in some rare case, very destructive disciples. There was once one disciple called Mitaidas in Vrindavan and he was going and visiting all other groups. He said he liked to hear different classes and different things. What’s wrong? We’re all Vaishnavas, all devotees. But there are many other philosophies. And if you start hearing different philosophies sometime you can get confused. So this is what happened with him.

He got confused and deviated from the strict path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So then, not in a gross sense, not like he was breaking pencil, but philosophically. So then he started to criticize and telling devotees they should go out and listen to some other guru and start to criticize in different ways. Prabhupāda. Maybe he also went on to some other initiation. Without permission. So then Prabhupāda said that this Amitai Das, he became a slave. So he should go out and stay out. What he should associate with him. Because now he’s criticizing and trying to take people away. So such danger can be there. We just have to beware if somebody becomes very offensive to the guru Paramparā teaching in such a way that people lose their faith in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It’s very dangerous to reject one’s bona fide guru.

But especially in some of these holy lands, there are certain people that are expert how to win the confidence and how to steal away the faith of the people. Even they may start off praising, oh yes, I know your guru. He’s very nice. He said. Then they think oh, he’s a friend. So you open up and talk. Then later they change their tune. So one has to be very careful outside of the ISKCON community before we listen to other people. For the ISKCON devotees, you have to be sure that person problem. Because if we hear from a non Vaishnava or someone who’s giving Ann Vaishnava discussions even though it’s in the name of Kṛṣṇa. Conscious discussions that can have a poisonous effect. Just like if milk is touched by the lips of a serpent. He won’t drink that milk.

Even if some non devotee speaks about Haripata which is nectar. But when he speaks, they will poison him. So non melodies are always end with some merging or some either Sahaji or Māyāvādī things. Mayavani is easy to figure out. More easy. The Saajya is more difficult. Saajya means it’s too cheap. The process of achieving Kṛṣṇa. So both these two things are dangerous for the devotees. We want to follow this process given by Lord Chaitanya. Sanana bhakti. Do the Sanaa bhakti develop our natural attraction for Kṛṣṇa Everything. Serve the spiritual master. Work under his guidance. Learn from him. The process. How we learn means that so many assistants may be teaching. Whether there’s something you have a doubt about whether that is correct or not, then we check it with the guru.

Now there are some persons who are telling that you should chant Gaurāṅga japas and Nirtananda japas on the beads. And they’re trying to they get the confidence very good and you increase your taste. He said, I will give you a special additional initiation Goranga mantra. But then there was no such system that Prabhupāda Puranis, his disciples should give additional initiations. And he specifically said that this is nonsense to chant Panchatava Mantra on the beads. But some people are now saying, well, that’s Panchatava, but Gaurava Mantra. He never said it. The point is, gates are for the Haregistha Mal Mantra. That’s our regular practice. We chant before we sing before. It always says that. Call out on the name of Goranga. We don’t have to sign silence. We can shout out go Ranga Nanga Swami was an honor. He tried to introduce some new idea.

So see, we’re giving a new secret service. No one else knew before he had to chant Hare Gurunga Mantra. So we knew this and now we’re telling you. Then this way they tried to get over some disciples. Everyone knows you should chant Gaurāṅga. But that doesn’t mean we start suddenly at a chant. One time a morning before we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare, Hare. So usually what different gurus try to do is they try to repackage the same thing in some new way and make it seem more attractive for the people. But we have to see whether in the packaging they are leaving out something or adding something or changing something. Packaging is one thing, but whether the substance is the same or not, that’s where we learn from our guru. Whether it’s suitable or not.

We learn whether it’s Sudhuba from Sadhu, Shastra and Guru. We check things, we verify. We don’t do things blindly. If we’re not sure what seems to be against Shastra, against what other devotees are doing, then we should. Buddha is a virtual master. So I hope all of you like this learn the science of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness very nicely. Any questions, I am always there to help. Want to see you all get back to Kṛṣṇa in this lifetime. I want you to be very happy in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Sometimes we’re not happy because we’re still not 100% Kṛṣṇa conscious. We’re somewhat still in the material point of view. And so this caused some anxieties for us. But if we become one more Kṛṣṇa conscious and we can cross over all these kind of tests. But your world is Sibadukada. How is the changing?

Like the Siddhosha Sutradukada from summer to winter. Now it’s a hot weather. Starting in some places it’s already 40 degrees plus yesterday was very cool. Today it’s warming up. Select that sometime it’s the winter, it gets cold. In the material world, things change, but we have to be fixed in a spiritual vision. Then these changes we can tolerate, we can adjust, we can take precaution that’s not the basis for our happiness. We’re happy because of serving Kṛṣṇa amateurly way of it. What’s the word I want to use? Surviving Finish up our life in a peaceful way. There will be some happiness, There will be some tests and as more you can develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness Then you will be spiritually satisfied and happy. Hare kṛṣṇa. Hare kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa hari. Any question? Any doubt? What? What is it? See. Let me ask this question.

So how was the etiquette between Kṛṣṇa and Balaram? Balaram was older but Kṛṣṇa is supreme personality of God Saint Kṛṣṇa’s Leela he would tend to interchange his obeisances and respects in accordance with external relation. So he would. Balaram was older brother by one year so he treated him like older brothers under normal circumstances. Sometimes in Balaram he was in a mood of protecting his young. He tried to protect Kṛṣṇa always. Ultimately Balaram and Kṛṣṇa know who sued. So if Kṛṣṇa wanted to, he would overrule Balaram but that externally it appeared on the normal things that Balaram was treating him like younger brother with great love and affection and Kṛṣṇa would treat him like an older brother Little older, not so much older money on it.

So when Kṛṣṇa would comment in Dwarka says that different people like he touched the feet of the elders he would hold the hand or embrace his equals depending on their relationship he blessed the junior he’s playing the role as a Kshatriya king. When Naramuni came, he bathed the feed of Narad Even when his Brahmina schoolmate Bipu Shuddhama came he bathed his feet they are friends. So that was the Kshatya giving a formal reception to our Brahma Then they sat down as friends and they were discussing how are you, how are things? How is your wife? How many children you have Just like friendsuddamma he was so much overwhelmed by how versatile and kind Kṛṣṇa was. Remembering his old family sees his huge opulence in palatial buildings and everything got us a fortune for Then Kṛṣṇa said so you brought something for me?

He saw that he had a little packet of chip rice for Ripa Sudharma he thought why can I give this to Kṛṣṇa? What Kṛṣṇa’s got so much. What do you do with this rotten lousy chip rice? No, no. It’s not good enough for you. I don’t have anything good enough to give to you. Anything that’s good enough for my devotee it’s good enough for me. Let me see. And we know how by force he grabbed it and took out one Bite. Two bite. Then Lakshmi stopped him and said no more please. If you take three bites, I am going to repay him. So. These external situations are Krishn acts. According to that it is Leela. He is playing a particular role when Ram respecting his father Dasura. When the father said go to the forest 14 years said yes father, whatever you say.

How many sons are there today. For one day? 14 Years. Who would do that? Anyway it’s very difficult Bharan people they can’t understand Ram Leela. It’s very difficult for them. So much principle and etiquette. So very hard for the modern people to understand. This Rang. So like according to the different Leelas, different roles Ram he would act like that with his. Even Lakshman was just few minutes younger than us. But he took the role his senior brother. Since that Lakshman was so upset with always being bossed around by Ram. The next time he came as older brother, he came as Balaram one year ahead. I don’t know. Someone told me that I never saw that written anywhere Interesting. Any other question? Who? Yeah, He saw him. Said he saw Balaram. No, no. Assume that he knew that.

Head of all the Brahmanas at that time he knew that Balaram he didn’t know that it wouldn’t be an offense. He must have known otherwise Balaram wouldn’t take offense. I mean Guru is everything Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa himself comes. Guru has to offer. Kṛṣṇa is the boss. He’s the master. Guru is not above Kṛṣṇa. He’s just representing Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa himself comes in. Worshiping him like God. Not that he is God says here for the disciple he is a deity. He is worshipable deity. Guru ātmā daivata. He is worshipable deity for the disciple. You treat him like you  will treat God for not that he is. This is how Kṛṣṇa sees how you treat the guru. That’s how they’re going to treat me.

If somebody is very responsible in some department of a company and then the chief executive sees that this person is doing very good with. So they may get promotion. Okay, let them assist me directly. I need such a person. So how you deal with guru? That’s Kṛṣṇa seeing them. Kṛṣṇa knows this is how you deal with the guru. That they deal with the guru very nice. And they also deal with me nicely. They don’t deal with the guru nice. And they’re not ready yet. Become the servant. So however you deal with your gurus Diksha and Singh Guru, the Kṛṣṇa is watching how you are doing. If you are respectful in front of the guru and behind you are Criticizing you still see it. People are not sincere.

The upadi said when Prabhupāda is being received in New York, in Boston rather all the devotees came in the airport and gave him one mālā, one, you know, flower garland. And then so many his head was getting hidden by the garland. He was taking off and putting again more taking off. So many 150 devotees. Each one had a big garland. So other newspaper people, they don’t know this is 1969. They are confused. You know, they never saw anyone like this getting so much respect in the West. Very informal. They do call each other by the first name in the west. Quite common, especially in America. Maybe in England it’s a little more formal, I don’t know. But call me Bill, call me Jack. Tendencies. So here there’s some women coming offering the prostrate obeisances in the airport.

Offering that garden sort of like shocked them. What is going on here? So after the Prabhupāda was speaking to the newspaper. See these people see me as an ambassador of God, a representative of God. So they worship me like God. They respect so much respect like ambassador to the Lord. But the guru, if he thinks that he is God then he is not God. G o d his arm reverse he’s doji is a dog. The guru always thinks this is all meant for Kṛṣṇa. I am just receiving. But actually Kṛṣṇa and previous Acharya should accept all this worship. And are they a humble servant? Guru has to always stay and have the consistent consciousness. You can get another bonafide. If you reject a bona fide guru then you can get another bona fide guru.

After one core of legs, You don’t go back to Kṛṣṇa for 10 million birth. You don’t tell unless you have a bona fide guru how you bring it back. Your spiritual life is destroyed. Just in the Tai Das. I said he rejected Prabhupāda and went off with some Babaji or something. Prabhupāda banned him. Then Prabhupāda said that he won’t get a bona fide guru for 200,000 bricks. And the audience was shocked. You know, 2 lakhs of birth. And I said no, that’s. I reduced it so much. Supposed to be 10 million. So 10 million would be how much more? 100 Times more? 50. 50 Times 50 times more. 2% He reduced went up to only 2%. Only 200,000 words. Then it’s okay. He can be forgiven in this lifetime. If he comes back and he gets begs forgiveness and gets pardoned and sa.

He’s saying now we have to spend 13, 14 hours a day making money working because of employment we don’t get time to read, barely we get time to chant. So we should give up working sometime and study. I don’t know economically how you can do that. That we have to see. But I think according to the labor laws you’re supposed to get eight hour work days. But especially the IT in certain sectors there are overwork them. Somehow on Fridays or depends what kind of work a person is doing. Prabhupāda said if somebody’s doing some standing up job, he could listen to the tape recorder, to the lectures and that would be like reading for him or her. Like ladies when they’re cooking, they don’t have time. They can. You can play tape.

In fact now we brought some VCDs you can watch in your house. Maybe on the Fridays after work. Read a little bit every day. It adds up. Even if you read one verse on the weekdays and then every weekend you can read a few more pages. So 700 verses in Bhagavad Gītā has been covered probably in less than a year. Gradually you can just do a little bit every day. Now there’s one devotee in. Where was I? Just some devotee. And then Chennaia somewhere He sends out 200 Bhagavad Gītā verses every day. I mean one verse to 200 people and then Bhavadi they sent them. So in this way he’s helping them to read a verse today. What alternative you have, what other kind of jobs. All these things you can consider. I had one disciple.

He got a job as an executive for one. What was that company? That’s oil change and oil and some car mechanical thing. And they had like 14 branches. And he was made executive to oversee all the branches. But he found that he had to work like that, 14 hours a day running around because he was executive. You don’t get overtime. He was a master mechanic. He just worked union rules eight hours and he extra work double time overtime. And after he figured that for my spiritual life, better I be the mechanic. Maybe this you go think you aren’t the executive. But I am getting no time, for example, and it’s not hardly getting any more money. Maybe I get more money as a mechanic in America. So he went back to being a mechanic. Surprised everybody because he sent me for his spiritual life.

Too much anxiety. So why not make a decision depending on all these factors? Some people are whimsically. I know there was another person, he was in Bangladesh and He was offered the post as a principal of the college. He was senior most lecturer. And you thought that too much headache. And so he refused it. But I told him for a Hindu in Bangladesh to be principal of the college, there’s a lot of preaching opportunities. Very few Hindus get any kind of decent posts in Bangladesh. But somehow he didn’t ask me and he just very whimsically, he. He rejected that post. So then the second next to him teacher was given a post. But that teacher was always afraid that he’s senior to me anytime he can take my position. So then he’s always doing politics against the other women.

He made some false case on him. And the students were rebelling against the new principal. They liked my disciple. And then finally this principal made a false case and then he took him out of the job. And that case was in the labor court for something like 13 years and he couldn’t work. And then finally he won the case. By that time was one year before retirement. And he put. He got all the bad salary and then his whole life wasted because he whimsically without consulting anybody. He just rejected that and he could have used it for kitchen. Sometimes we have to think being here in this position, in this place also gives us certain opportunity to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And we don’t want to win simply give up our service here if we can use it for serving Kṛṣṇa.

Sometimes devotees want to go back. I want to go back to India and I want to serve there. But then they don’t have any service that they can do there. They’re not temple devotees and they’re not used to living in an ashram and there’s no specific service. So they go back unless it’s very clear what service they’re going to do. Unless they’re ready, fired up or determined. Some people set up in their own house, preaching center and temple and everything. So when they go back they can preach from their house. Some people, they have set it up that they will be in some ashram. But otherwise most people, they go back. If they don’t have a service, then very soon they lose their enthusiasm. You need to have a very clear idea what we.

So many times I encourage people don’t go back, stay here and keep preaching here because here is so much opportunity. Only go back when you have a very clear idea of what you’re going to do and you’re sure that it’s going to work. Especially for those who are actively preaching, taking some responsibility, being here, helping so many people, spiritual, life for some of the sigrant devotees then they lost their taste for working but they are staying on to help the others. But there are so many nice devotees here who want to be trained in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and I need help to train them from the experienced devotees. So thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Please come forward and receive.